The invention relates generally to mechanical connectors and more particularly to a device having a connecting piece for attaching a water jet device to a concentrate container or reservoir by means of a clamping device or a foot.
In a similar device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,908 (which claims priority to Dutch Patent Application 8800113) an apparatus for withdrawing liquid from a reservoir by means of a water jet device in a clamping device is shown. A reservoir box is shown with a filled flexible bag incorporated inside. The flexible bag is filled at least partially with liquid. A connecting or clamping piece is used to connect the water jet device to the reservoir box and flexible bag via a top opening in the water jet device and connecting/clamping piece. The reservoir is provided with an outlet opening having a valve mechanism fitted with a lip seal. The water jet device also connects on the one end to a water supply hose and on the other end to a drain spout. The method and apparatus are characterized in that the reservoir is a flexible bag fitted with a connector or insert. When a supply of pressurized water flows through the water jet device, the normally closed lip seal of the connector is externally subjected to lower pressure and thereby flexes to an open condition which permits liquid contained in the bag to flow out through the connector and mix with the liquid flowing through the water jet device.
Before using the connecting piece, which is shown as insert piece, the connecting piece must be pulled out through an opening in the box and fixed to the box by means of collars. Because there are a plurality of collars, this leads to mistakes if the user does not pull out the insert piece far enough and consequently fixes the box incorrectly. In addition, this known device makes use of a clamping device which is slid around the insert piece and, as a consequence of not pulling out the insert piece sufficiently far enough or as a consequence of the box being less stiff, so that it may assume a concave shape on the side concerned, the clamping device is not always correctly slid around the insert piece. This creates the situation where the water jet device is not properly connected and does not operate correctly. In extreme cases, no dispensing takes place at all when the water jet device does not operate correctly.
Furthermore, in the apparatus described in Dutch Patent Application 8800113 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,908, mentioned above, it is possible for the clamping device to be slid around the insert piece from two sides. This too leads to mistakes in practice. Because on the one hand the clamping device should be attached to the insert piece through a horizontal sliding movement, and on the other hand the venturi should be fixed in the box by being clamped around the insert piece through a vertical rotary movement; thus, the clamping device must be designed in two parts, one incorporating a venturi element and a second upper portion for connection to a reservoir box.